


Before it is too late

by RainbowMech (charlion_em)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Multi, my normal mix of fluff and angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 11:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8577433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlion_em/pseuds/RainbowMech
Summary: Lance and Shiro's budding relationship is put to the test. Will their relationship survive what is to come, and more importantly: will they?





	

  
Lance blinked his eyes open, trying to bring his vision into focus. Being in space meant no natural light- and what he wouldn’t give to have Earth’s Sun kiss him awake again. Even the light of a foreign star was a welcome change, but it didn’t seem like they would be stopping anytime soon.

His body must be getting used to the artificial lights; it was getting easier to wake to the slowly brightening lights in his room. As he rubbed his eyes open, Lance rolled to his side to avoid the lights and burry his head in-- short black hair?

Shiro.

His heart swelled with affection and he bit his lip to stifle an “aww”.

Maybe it _was_  going somewhere. Between missions, and training, they hadn’t exactly _talked_  about their relationship. If he were to be honest with himself in the dim morning light, Lance hadn’t expected anything beyond a physical relationship. It was a possibility he accepted before continuing, but the mere chance there could be something more was crawling under his skin.

“Do you always stare like this in the morning?” Shiro’s lips turned up in a sleepy smile. The cool metal of his arm pressed into Lance’s side.

Lance snuggled closer, “Probably. You’re nice to look at.” He chuckled and nuzzled closer to Shiro. It was an inside joke of sorts, a nod to the first time they kissed.

  
_Shiro blocked his exit, his wide shoulders angled towards the wall. “Is something wrong, Lance?”_

_“Nope.” Lance shook his head, still trying to keep his blush from rising any higher on his neck. They were in a side hallway, right off the main route to their rooms._

_“You’re acting like there is. You keep-- you keep staring at me.” Shiro sighed, “If you have any issues with the way I’m running our training drills, you can tell me. I’m always open to suggestions.”_

_“I’m good.” Lance swallowed, it was so easy to pretend he wasn’t completely captivated by Shiro when they had some distance. But now, with Shiro hovering close so their voices wouldn’t carry was almost too much._

_“Lance,_ please _.” He closed his eyes. Down the hall, they heard Hunk call out ‘goodnight’. “Why do you keep staring at me?”_

_Lance was never one to have a filter, especially in moments he probably should. “You’re nice to look at.”_

_Before Lance could contemplate all the types alien rocks he would like to crawl under, Shiro’s lips were on his. Raw, hungry. It was over as soon as Lance’s back pressed against the wall, Shiro pushing away, questioning, hesitant._  
_Lance could see the apology on Shiro’s lips, and surged forward before he could form the words. “Okay. Wow-”_

_The proximity alarm cut off Lance’s gushing, red lights filled the halls, and in the distance was a shouted “Come on! I just got comfy!”_

_“Let's do this again sometime.” Lance’s finger guns were a little shaky, but his smirk held firm as they raced to their lions._

 

Never in a million lifetimes would Lance have expected Shiro to be interested. Lance… the team flirt. The jokester? With (mostly) serious Shiro?

The bed shifted as Shiro stood. Lance didn’t bother suppressing his approval as the blanket slid down to give him a great view of Shiro’s ass.

Shiro paused as he stepped into his briefs. “Hey, we’re still good for tonight, right?”

“You know it.” On the outside, Lance was smooth, ready, even cocky- but on the inside? Oh, on the inside Lance was panicking. Shiro stayed the night? After saying he had a surprise for him the next night? It was everything he’d wanted since he started to get to know Shiro, and at the same time it was too soon. Did this mean they were going to put a label on it? Make it something official?

Once they were dressed, Lance met Shiro at the door. His stomach growled, demanding breakfast quickly and in large quantity. But Shiro wasn’t moving, and a few seconds of silence told him why.

Down the hall were the muffled voices of Hunk and Pidge. So far they were being discreet with their late night talks, and even more so with their later-night sex. And Shiro staying the night just added a layer of complication.

But then… did he really care if they knew? Lance supposed he didn’t. It wasn’t like they would think less of him. Maybe being in a steady relationship would even help him shrug off the mantle of team flirt.

He was about to say as much to Shiro, when chapped lips brushed his forehead. “Lance, you go to breakfast first. I’ll follow once they’re gone.”

  
Lance scrunched his nose. Was Shiro embarrassed they were together? Lance. The big flirt. Of course, Shiro wasn’t looking for anything long term from him. If anything, they would continue as there were until they fought their way back home, then go their separate ways. Lance’s thoughts crashed to a halt when he heard Keith’s voice join the group. Ah. Shiro didn’t want _Keith_ to know.

He dipped his head in answer, a soft sigh blowing past his lips. Really, he is amazed Shiro has given him this much. Why throw it away because he’s jealous? The bedroom door clicked shut behind him, and Shiro was light years away.

Lance’s melodramatic thoughts continued even as he took his seat across from Hunk and Corran. From their conversation, he gathered Pidge grabbed her meal to-go and disappeared to work on her most recent upgrade.

“Morning,” Keith said as he fell into the seat directly to Lance’s right.

Lance’s shoulders tensed. His past relationship with Shiro wasn’t a secret, rumors had flown around the Garrison so fast it was hard to keep track. What did Shiro see in him? More importantly, why did they break up?

“-ance. LANCE!” Hunk’s shout pulled him back to the present.

“WHAT!?”

Hunk pointed next to him, “Keith is trying to get your attention.”

Keith. Keith. “Urgh.” He made a show of craning his neck to look at him.

“Would you like to spar?” Keith seemed unphased by Lance’s glare.

“No.” He turned back to his bowl.

“I want to practice hand to hand, Pidge suggested asking you?”

Hunk grinned. “Yea, maybe if you two fight some more you’ll be come best friends.”

“Okay, first,” Lance sliced his hand in the air towards Hunk, “you’re my best friend. And second…fine. But I did promise Pidge I’d help calibrate something or whatsit- and if I live, then I’ll meet you in the training room before lunch.”

Keith gave him a small smile, “I’ll meet you there.”

Lance took his time eating, if he dragged it out then maybe Pidge wouldn’t need his help. Why had he agreed anyway.

 

* * *

 

Shiro waited in Lance’s room for several minutes. The other’s had long since left the hall, but the quiet of the room gave him time to think. He hadn’t meant to stay the night, though maybe he had subconsciously. It was done, though. At least Lance hadn’t freaked out about it, quite the opposite actually. Until it came time to leave. He’d been feeling Lance out; was he ready to tell the other Paladins? Apparently not.

He let out a puff of air against the cool metal of the door. They hadn’t been… together for _that_ long. It would just be something he would need to be direct about with Lance. So far they’d been so busy exploring, they hadn’t discussed their expectations or limits.

The thought of breakfast was not appealing, so instead he made his way to the library. It was filled with old texts, books ranging from the history of various alien races to combat techniques and even gardening.

His usually chair is empty, as expected. It was a surprise to find Allura walking among the rows of books so early. “Morning.”

“Good morning, Shiro.”

They smiled, gave a brief nod and carried on to their own reading nooks to be alone with their thoughts. It was the great thing about the library. With such a wide array of books, it didn’t take long to let the worries of the world fade away. Today was no exception, and soon Shiro found himself lost in the pages.

Sometime later, the doors slid open. Shiro didn’t look up from his book, he wasn’t ready to be social yet that morning.

Allura’s worried voice, however, did pull his eyes from the pages. “Oh, are you alright?” She is halfway from her nook to the door, her books tucked as if she were leaving.

“I’m fine.” Keith moved around her. “I just wanted somewhere quiet.”

“Oh dear. You are absolutely not fine.” She pulled Keith further into the library and with growing trepidation, Shiro realized she was heading right for him. “I wish I could talk, but please talk to Shiro?”

“I’m fine.”

“Keith.” She stretched his name out like each extra syllable would somehow convince him.

Keith grit his back teeth. “I- it’s personal okay?!”  
It stung. Really, he should be over this by now. Yet, he couldn’t stop the memories of a time long past when Keith shared everything with him. But that was the past. Before Kerberos, before the Galra. Before Lance.

“Keith, would you like me to-”

Shiro stood, “I’ll talk to him, Allura. You don’t need to stay, I can see you are busy.”

“Thank you Shiro!” She hurried out of the library with her books.

Shiro gently sat back into his chair and motioned to the identical one next to him. He sat his book on the small table separating the chairs, giving Keith his full attention.

“Thank you.” Keith slumped into the chair. “She means well, but she won’t be satisfied until she gives me advice… and her advice so far has sucked.”

“You can talk to me about anything. I won’t prod, but I am here.”

“I know.” He let his head fall against the back of the chair. “I’m here too, Shiro.” He kept his gaze to the ceiling.

The ache in his chest spread. Keith and Matt had been the only two he trusted with his deepest thoughts. And he lost both of them. But-- maybe he could still salvage a friendship with Keith. Walking on eggshells was wearing him down, watching every word, every touch…

“I didn’t have any nightmares last night.” He swallowed. It was the first he’d mentioned them to anyone.

Keith looked over, quietly contemplating how to respond. “You could have talked to me…”

“I know.” Shiro watched Keith, fondly remembering how he used to be able to read him so well. Even now, almost two years later… Keith was still an open book to him. Keith, who was never embarrassed by being with him. He knew his thoughts were heading into dangerous territory, but old flames didn’t just die.

“If you have another, please talk to me?”

Shiro nodded. It was probably something he should discuss with Lance, not Keith. They sat in silence, contemplating.

“You’re sure I can talk to you about anything?”

“Yes.”

“Even relationships?”

Shiro swallowed, his throat getting drier the longer they talked. Of course Keith would move on, why did that sting more than it should. “Anything.”

Keith opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to find the right words. Once he found them, they rushed out. “I- I like someone. But all of my hints just go unnoticed. I’m trying, I’m really trying… and It hurts? I don’t know what else to do. I think I should just give up.” He buried his head in his hands.

His heart pounded in his chest. “Who is it?”

“NO! I- It’s personal?”

They both knew it was a pretty short list… unless, maybe it was someone they rescued? Or someone Keith met at their last neutral station stop? Or maybe Allura? Given Keith’s refusal to talk to her about it. Or-- was Keith trying to hint to Shiro that he still loved him?

His heartbeat pounded in his ears. “It is kinda hard to give advice without knowing who it is… but, maybe just be direct? Don’t let them ignore it. Kiss them if you have to!”

/ _kiss me_ / Shiro sucked in a breath. He berated himself for having such thoughts-- what would Lance think?

“Thanks for the advice. I need to think.” Keith stood, smoothing out non existent wrinkles from his pants. “Sorry if this is awkward. We haven't really talked much since…”

_/since you broke up with me/_

“I’ve missed our random talks.” A sad smile ghosted over his lips.

“Yea, me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback is appreciated :3


End file.
